


Love In A Headset

by TheSheGavin



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Averue High, Co-op Work, Danvin - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mavin, Multi, Sergeant Bun and TheSheGavin writes, Tiny bit of Angst, and then the normal ships, joelay - Freeform, lots of love, rayvin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-28
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-23 00:59:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2528135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSheGavin/pseuds/TheSheGavin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In retrospect, falling in love was the last thing on Gavin's mind. He was more concerned with the fact that he was around a lot of strangers and dealing with life as a foreign exchange student. When he met Geoff, his long-distance cousin (both physically and relationally), he wasn't expecting much. </p>
<p>That is, until he met Michael. And Ray. And Dan confessed his feelings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Suddenly, everything just got a lot more complicated</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Call of Duty

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a Co-op effort between myself and Sergeant Bun. If you want to see more of her writing, please tell me and I'll post more. I'll also mark what chapters are hers and what are mine.
> 
> -TSG

Gavin Free sat begrudgingly in front of the television, a plush beanbag chair engulfing his rump as he tried to settle in. He had just started staying with the Ramsey's as a foreign exchange student. Apparently, Geoff Ramsey was a distant cousin of his, so it was better him then a stranger of no relation.

 

Well, so he thought.

 

An Xbox controller sat loosely in his hands as Geoff turned on a game he's only played about once. Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies. Gavin fiddled with the headset attached to his head, adjusting the microphone until it seemed at a decent spot. Geoff helped him turn on multiplayer, but went into the other room straight after, leaving Gavin to fend for himself.

 

As soon as the waves began, he heard voices pinging against his ears.

 

"So who's all here? Team check."

 

A small speaker appeared next to the tag for MLPMichael, and soon other's started appearing.

 

"Well, I'm here." Spoke BrownMan seriously.

 

"I am also here." JackP said in a humorous voice.

 

"Hey, then we have everyone. Who else is on?" BM Vagabond questioned.

 

Gavin spoke hesitantly, a small speaker appearing next to his GavinoFree "Oh, I uhm.. I am."

 

"Oh Jesus, Ray. I thought you said it'd only be us! You got us stuck with a British twat." MLPMichael complained.

 

Gavin felt insulted and the game hasn't even begun.

 

"British twat? What are you talking about, you American wanker?"

 

The waves of zombies began and Gavin fumbled at the controls.

 

"I set it to local, Michael. He must just live nearby." Brownman spoke before responding to Gavin. "And I'm Puerto Rican, thank you very much."

 

JackP gave a cough to clear his voice and to gain our attention before speaking through laughter. "Michael, Ray, be nice. If he lives nearby, he might just be new. What's your name?"

 

"Gavin." He mumbled into the mic as he began mashing buttons.

 

"Well Gavin, where are you? Clearly you aren't far." Brownman, or who he had assumed to be Ray, asked.

 

"I'm staying with Geoff Ramsey.. If that makes any sense to any of you."

 

Everyone seemed to fall silent; the only noise was zombie groans and gunfire.

 

"So /you're/ the exchange student." Michael said it more as a statement then a question, but Gavin still answered.

 

"I.. Yes. I am."

 

"God dammit." Ray grumbled. "I was hoping for a hot chick, or something along those lines."

 

Michael and Jack started to laugh, along with BM Vagabond.

 

"So, I uhm.. I've caught everyone's name but yours, Vagabond." Gavin kept glancing down at the buttons to make sure he was hitting the right ones.

 

"I'm Ryan. Pleasure to meet you, Gavin."

 

Gavin smiled slightly to himself as he nodded. "Pleasure to meet all of you."

 

Michael, Ray, Jack, and Ryan started chatting and laughing about wherever the conversation took them. Gavin would give his input every once in awhile, and they lasted quite a long time as wave after wave of zombies ambushed them.

 

Michael was the first to die.

 

"God dammit!" The sound of a controller hitting a table and the mic hitting something hard played in Gavin's headset. There was a stream of colorful curse words flowing from Michael while the others were laughing hard.

 

Ray was next.

 

"Oh.. Well shit, I'm dead." Ray jested.

 

A few moments later, it was only Ryan and Gavin. Jack had been killed quickly.

 

"Shit, looks like Gavin isn't too bad." Gavin could practically hear the smile in Michael's voice.

 

"Well, he has to do something besides drink tea and be all 'pip pip cheerio.'" Gavin chuckled at Ray's joke.

 

Soon it was just Gavin, and he managed to fend off a wave before being buried by a mountain of zombies and eaten alive. Gavin sat back with a heavy sigh.

 

The boys started murmuring things to each other. It sounded as if they had all removed their headsets and were talking in the same room. Soon, the voices faded and Michael's voice returned.

 

"I hope we'll get to really meet, Gavin. You don't seem quite like the British twat I thought you were. Your accent is really.. Cute."

 

Gavin could tell Michael was fumbling for words. Was this an apology?

 

"Your forgiven, Michael." Gavin joked.

 

"Get off your high horse, Gavin. Anyways, when you get to school, we'll be waiting for you in study hall. It'll most likely be empty as always."

 

"I'll try my best to find it."

 

"Alright. See you then, Gav."

 

Gavin felt something flutter inside him but he ignored it for now.

 

"See you then, Michael."

 

Gavin couldn't help but smile.


	2. Kaleidoscope Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by Sergeant Bun.

Geoff stood in the doorway of the bathroom, undetected, as he watched Gavin stare at his reflection. He was wearing a button up shirt, dress pants, and a tie. If he didn't know any better, he would assume the young Brit was headed for a job interview.

 

"H-hi. M-my names Gavin Free and...a-and.. Oh, god-"

 

Geoff winced as Gavin practically stuck his head in the toilet bowl and hurled up his breakfast for the third time that morning.

 

"C'mon dude," he sighed once Gavin had rinsed out his mouth. "It won't be so bad."

 

"That's easy for you to say. /You're/ not the one transferring in the middle of first semester."

 

Gavin trudged back into his room- the Ramsey's guest bedroom- and climbed back into bed. He burrowed under the covers and curled up into a ball.

 

"Gavin, what are you doing?" Geoff asked, sounding both exasperated and sympathetic.

 

"Just put me in a box and send me back across the Atlantic." came his muffled reply.

 

The thought of going home before he even experienced anything truly American was saddening, but it was better than fainting in front of his whole class.

 

Poor Gavin always had a weak stomach. The sight of wet bread made him gag, the smell of blood made him faint and public speaking was a combination of both.

 

The Brit felt the bed dip on one side as Geoff sat down.

 

"That's too bad. I know the guys were /really/ looking forward to meeting you. Especially Michael."

 

Gavin felt that fluttery sensation in his stomach again. The one he always felt when Geoff mentioned Michael. It had been two weeks since he had 'met' his older housemates' friends, and he was still eager to become apart of the group.

 

Then again, what if they didn't like him? What if they thought his accent was stupider in person? Or that his easily triggered gag reflex was too disgusting to stand?

 

Gavin felt the covers shifting and suddenly he was staring up at Geoff.

 

"I know you're scared, buddy, but you don't need to be. I'll only be a floor away if you need me, and you'll be sitting with me and the guys during lunch."

 

Gavin twiddled his thumbs as he processed Geoff's words. He only had one good friend back in England, Dan, who was decidedly quite popular. It might be nice to be in a close group of friends. If they wanted him that is.

 

"Alright. I'll go." Gavin said, sitting up. "But if I pass out on the stairs I'm pinning the blame on you."

 

"Fair enough." Geoff hauled Gavin to his feet and led him into his own room across the hall. "Now, lets find you something cool to wear. You look like you're going to church."

 

~•~

 

Michael munched on a granola bar as he watched Jack and Ryan argue over who's turn it was to use Jack's tablet.

 

Ray sat on the other side of the couch, sitting upside down as he played Subway Surfers on his phone. With all of his wriggling and exaggerated movements it was a wonder he didn't fall off.

 

Michael glanced toward the clock again, sighing when he saw that only a few minutes had passed.

 

The four of them were in their HQ, waiting for Geoff and Gavin to arrive. The room was an old and unused sound booth close to the library that use to function as the schools news room. Now it served as their base of operations and their study hall.

 

"Where are they? Class starts in ten minutes."

 

"Relax, man." Ryan chuckled, having lost the argument with Jack. "You're acting like you've never seen Geoff before."

 

The others laughed as Michael glared at him. They all knew who he was looking forward to seeing. Gavin was all he talked about for the past two weeks, and his friends never missed an opportunity to bug him about it.

 

The door to the sound room slowly creaked open and Geoff's head popped into view.

 

"Sup bitches? Daddy's home."

 

"Finally." Jack said, looking up from his game. "Michael was about to send out a SWAT team."

 

The redhead glared at the slightly muscular older boy.

 

"Jack, shut the fu-"

 

"Whoa! This place is absolutely top!"

 

Three heads turned toward the door where they saw someone else slip into the room. His shaggy light brown hair fell partially over his eyes, and his smile was wide with excitement.

 

He was a lot skinner than Michael imagined he would be. Though it probably didn't help that he was wearing one of Geoff's Daft Punk t-shirts.

 

"Guys, meet Gavin. Gavin this is Ray, Jack, Ryan and Michael."

 

Ray rolled off of the couch and got to his feet, nearly tripping over a bunch of cords before reaching Gavin.

 

"Nice to meet you, man. We've heard almost nothing about you."

 

Gavin shook his hand, then paused after all of the weird looks he was getting. "What?"

 

Ryan laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Not everyday we meet someone with manners."

 

Jack scoffed. "What do you mean? I got a butt load of manners."

 

"You got a butt load alright. A butt load of jizz!"

 

"OOOOHHHHHHH!"

 

"Fuckin got 'em!"

 

Gavin's lips twitched up into a smile as he watched the boys shove each other and faff about. He went and took a seat on the couch, sitting closer to Michael than Ray had been.

 

"I must say, you aren't at all what I expected."

 

There were several ways that Michael could have responded to that. The one everyone would expect was anger, or at the very least annoyance. The least likely one was violence. Contrary to popular believe, Michael was actually a pretty nice guy.

 

"Is that... A good thing?" His voice came out low and almost shy, though he would never admit it.

 

Instead of making fun of him like all the other guys would have, (and most likely will later) Gavin simply gave him a bright smile.

 

"It's a very good thing, Michael."

 

~•~

 

"Jesus Christ! How do you understand any of this?"

 

Gavin glanced towards his right where Ray sat hunched over on his desk. The class had been assigned to do the first twenty algebra equations in chapter three. Gavin had finished ten minutes ago while Ray was still stuck on problem six.

 

It turns out that while Ray had four classes with Gavin, not counting gym, Michael only had two. No one was more upset about this than the redhead, who had spent ten minutes ranting and raving about the unfairness of it all.

 

So while Michael was in English, Ray and Gavin were in algebra, which the Hispanic just didn't seem to grasp.

 

"It really isn't that hard-"

 

"Not that hard?! The Impossible Game is easier to beat!"

 

Gavin chuckled softly, going back to his book. Occasionally he would hear Ray curse under his breath followed by the rubbing of an eraser.

 

At the end of class, Ray had gotten to the eleventh equation. The slightly taller boy reluctantly turned in his paper, trying to hide in his hoodie as he and Gavin made their way to the cafeteria.

 

"This is great. I've pretty much failed the class and it's only day one back from break."

 

Gavin smiled sympathetically as they took a seat at the table closest to the large windows. He knew how it felt to suck at something everyone else was good at.

 

"I can tutor you if you want."

 

Ray looked up at him mid bite, lettuce almost falling out of his burger. "Seriously?"

 

"Sure," Gavin said, moving so that he was sat next to Ray. "In fact, we can start the homework now so that you'll understand it better when you get home."

 

Ray wasn't too keen on the idea of working through lunch, but once Gavin started talking him through the steps, he found that things were actually starting to make sense.

 

He leaned in closer to the book, glancing up at the Brit to ask him about /something/. He never remembered what it was once he caught sight of his face up close.

 

Gavin's eyes were... Well, cool. That was the only word he could think of to describe them. His irises had a ring of light brown around the pupil, before expanding into a swirl of green and... Gold possibly?

 

The shorter boy felt his intense gaze and turned to ask him what was wrong, freezing when he realized how close they were.

 

"Ray? Are you alright?"

 

"I never noticed your eyes before. They're like kaleidoscopes or something."

 

"My eyes? What do you-"

 

He nearly choked as Ray's hand came up up and brushed his bangs away from his face. He could feel a blush threatening to take over and desperately beat it back.

 

They both jumped when a tray slammed down on the table. Ray's hand was frozen in place, meaning that when Gavin turned his head the Puerto Rican's fingers skimmed along his cheek.

 

Michael stared down at them, an unreadable expression on his face. Gavin could see Geoff, Ryan and Jack a few feet behind the redhead, meaning they had probably seen the whole thing. Not that there was a /thing/ to see, of course.

 

Ray finally got the hint and dropped his hand to the table, coincidentally right on top of Gavin's. They quickly jerked apart, blushing matching shades of red.

 

"So... Did I miss anything exciting?"


	3. Soccer Goals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written by TheSheGavin.

After a seemingly awkward lunch of small murmurs and stolen glances, the group of Geoff, Gavin, Michael, Ray, Jack, and Ryan broke off in there respective directions for class. Gavin repeatedly told himself what had happened was nothing. Absolutely nothing. So why had it bothered him so much? And Michael..

 

Michael looked furious. He picked at his food, but didn't eat too much, and he wouldn't even look up from tray.

 

Gavin's stomach twisted up into knots, and he felt ill again like he did this morning. His lunch threatened to make a come-back but he swore to himself that he would not be puking up his guts anymore today. He and Michael had the last class of the day together, and he felt his head start to ache from the tension in his entire being.

 

He shouldn't care so much. He shouldn't. So why did he? He just met the poor bastards.

 

Gavin kept thinking about why he cared. Why he's been talking about Michael a lot. Why that moment with Ray had turned so.. Intimate. His next class was gym, in which he was stuck with the nagging feeling of uncertainty.

 

It wasn't until he heard his voice that he remembered who he shared the class with.

 

"Hey Gav." Spoke an uneasy and timid voice.

 

"Bollocks." Gavin whispered to himself before turning to Ray with a forced smile. "Hey Ray."

 

Ray gave the exchange student a half smile, still feeling quite ridiculous for before. He didn't expect that to happen but those damned eyes of his got him. They heard someone clear their throat before a familiar voice spoke.

 

"Hey Gavin.. Ray." Michael said in a somewhat bitter tone. "You should go get changed Gavin. We're going to play soccer after we stretch."

 

Gavin looked a bit confused. What the hell was 'soccer'? He glanced over Michael's shorts and worn gray t-shirt before nodding and heading off to the changing rooms.

 

Michael huffed softly as he watched Gavin walk off. As soon as he was out of earshot, he turned to Ray with a displeased glare.

"Listen Ray, I don't know what happened at lunch, but I'm not letting it get in the way of us kicking the other team's ass." A familiar grin appeared. "And I say we get Gavin on our team and play skins."

 

Ray laughed. "You just want to see my sexy Puerto Rican body." He smoothed down the front of his 'Kiss Me, I'm Irish' shirt that was accompanied by a leprechaun you'd usually see on cereal boxes with a (badly) photoshopped buff body.

 

Michael rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

 

Both Ray and Michael started stretching out their legs out of habit. Every time it was warm out, and it usually was, they'd play out on the fields. Usually, it was soccer or football with the occasional basketball game.

 

Both of them basically froze in place when they heard the Brit return.

 

"So.. What /is/ soccer?"

 

Michael felt a small urge to mess with him a bit, but Ray answered before he had the chance to speak.

 

"It's like your football. It's just a different name."

 

"Oh, I'm not too bad at it then."

 

Michael continued to stretch before his gaze moved to Gavin. He was wearing a too-big baby blue shirt that exposed just enough of his collarbone that rendered Michael nearly speechless. Gavin stole a glance at the redhead, catching his stare.

 

"I, uhm.. Did you need something, Michael?" Gavin mumbled curiously.

 

Michael shook his head slightly before his usual harsh tone returned. " 'Course not, you dumb Brit. I just wanted to tell you that you're on my and Ray's team, and we're playing skins. Take your shirt off after you've stretched." Michael straightened before pulling off his shirt and slinging it over his shoulder, leaving Ray and Gavin to themselves.

 

"Is he always an arse?" Gavin implied.

 

"No. He usually just does that around Lindsay. He's got it bad for her." Ray stretched one last time before removing his shirt as well and twirling it in a circle as he left Gavin to stretch as they sorted out the teams on the field.

 

Gavin literally had no idea what he was going to do with these two.

 

~•~

 

The teams were lined up in the almost too-hot day, sweat already starting to break out on foreheads and such.

 

Gavin had claimed to be good at offense, so he was up front, Ray and Michael on either side of him. Once the game had started, Michael and Ray automatically took over passing the ball easily between them. It wasn't until Gavin darted through their path and stole the ball that they lost focus. Gavin's muscles were tight as he twisted and turned with the ball, easily scoring a point for his team.

 

Gavin returned to his spot between the speechless pair, his hands raised to high five them both.

 

"Good job, lads!" Gavin's voice was carefree and happy, like they've been old friends of his for a long time now. Ray and Michael gave each other a subtle glance before high-fiving the sweaty palms of the accented Brit.

 

"That was pretty damn good, Gav. Even better then your video game playing." Michael teased, but it was a lot lighter then his earlier comments.

 

Gavin felt so elated at Michael's compliment that it made him nearly giddy. He tried his best to focus on the game, but let the duo do most of their usual work.

 

Someone on the opposing team interrupted Gavin's distraction with a peculiarly hard kick to the ball that sent it whizzing in his direction. He heard two voices basically shouting in his ear.

 

"Gavin, watch out!"

 

"Duck, you idiot!"

 

The last thing Gavin remembers seeing is a soccer ball approaching so quickly that there was nothing he could do to get out of the way as it rammed into his forehead. The impact was so hard that it made bright spots dance across his vision. His field of sight was edged with black and he heard muffled yelling.

 

Jesus, my head hurts, he thought. That was all he could focus on. His aching head. It wasn't bleeding. Or he hoped not, but it'd definitely was bruised. He wondered how dumb he'd look with a big, purpling bruise covering his forehead before his shoulders were being lifted off the ground and his arms were wrapped around two slick-with-sweat necks. He couldn't quite figure out how his feet worked, as if he had forgotten how to walk for a moment before finding his footing and starting to help the two carry him.

 

"M'fine. I can walk."

 

"Jesus Christ, Gavin.. Just shut up and let us help." Michael grumbled.

 

"No. G'off. I can do it."

 

"Gavin, shut up." Ray huffed softly as they led him into the considerably cooler school.

 

"I'm going to fucking murder Caleb, that asshole."

 

Gavin let out a laugh at Michael's comment.

 

"Should've jus' lemme stay out there. Would've been fine."

 

Michael growled. "You've got a nasty bump on your head from the ball, and you cut the back of your head on a rock."

 

"It's not that bad, actually. But you do need something to stop the bleeding." Ray interjected.

 

Gavin fell silent. He was bleeding? But he didn't even feel it..

 

Gavin was led to the nurse's office where he was patched up and soon fell asleep. Ray and Michael couldn't stay the whole time because they had to return to class, but they made note to come and get him after next period to take him home.

 

~•~

 

Gavin woke with a disoriented groan. His head hurt with every move as he sat up slowly. He peeled open his eyes to find Geoff, Michael, and Ray watching him expectantly.

 

"Well, this is a bloody party now, isn't it?" Gavin joked weakly.

 

"Good morning." Ray laughed.

 

"Damn, Gavin. It's only your first day and you look like a train wreck." Geoff looked.. Nervous? Maybe even scared..

 

"Don't worry. Just a bit of aches and pains."

 

Michael let out a soft laugh. "Gavin, seriously, shut up."

 

Gavin shook his head slightly. "Alright. Can we just go home? I think I've had too much of America today."

 

Geoff nodded before motioning to Ray and Michael. "B Team here and the others are coming over today for some video games if you're not too tired and want to join."

 

Gavin mustered up the best smile he could manage.

 

"Sure, why not."


	4. Gavin's Fortress of Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is written by Sergeant Bun. Literally, it's all fluff.

Mrs. Ramsey nearly had a heart attack when the boys arrived at Geoff's house. Mr. Ramsey had already left for work, and she almost called off so that she could stay home and tend to Gavin.

 

Geoff sighed exasperatedly. He now knew how Gavin felt when his parents wouldn't stop calling him during his first week in America.

 

"He's fine, mom. We can take care of him."

 

Gavin was trying (in vain) to hide inside of his hoodie. He appreciated the concern, but he could hear the others snickering behind him.

 

"I'm fine, Mrs. Ramsey. This isn't even the worst that's happened to me."

 

That didn't seem to reassure her at all. It took almost half an hour for Geoff to convince her to go into work. After a while she relented.

 

"Gavin, honey, if you feel dizzy or lightheaded call me, understand?"

 

Gavin blushed harder, his face beet red. "Yes, ma'am."

 

After she had gone the boys started setting up the living room while Gavin went to go change.

 

"I swear it's like she wants to adopt him or something," Geoff complained.

 

"Who doesn't want an accident prone British son?" Ray joked.

 

"It's the new hipster accessory," Jack said in a bad imitation of a Californian girl.

 

Everyone but Michael were too busy laughing to notice Gavin back out of the living room. He cursed under his breath and went after him, rounding the corner just in time to see the guest bedroom door close.

 

He slowly walked down the hall and lifted his hand to knock, but the sound of Gavin's voice stopped him.

 

"-and they were all laughing at me!"

 

"We make fun of each other all the time, B." A soft male voice said, having the same thick accent as Gavin's.

 

Michael frowned and pushed the door open just the slightest, being as silent as possible. Through the narrow crack he could see Gavin sitting at his desk, his laptop open in front of him. He assumed the Brit was on Skype, but he couldn't see the person he was talking to.

 

"To each others faces! They were doing it behind my back."

 

"I'm sure they didn't mean anything by it," said B, whoever that was.

 

"Geoff sounded so annoyed. I thought he liked me, but I'm just some annoying British twat to the lot of them."

 

Michael could have kicked himself. After gym class today, it was hard to remember that Gavin hasn't been there all along. He was still learning the dynamics of their friendship. He and the guys joked around and insulted each other daily; it's how they operated as a group. But Gavin didn't know that.

 

Michael was about to walk in and apologize to the sensitive brunette but froze when he heard what came next.

 

"I wish you were here, Dan. I really miss you."

 

"I miss you too, B. Be strong for me, yeah?"

 

Gavin laughed softly. "I'll try. I can't wait till Christmas. You're still flying over here right?"

 

"Of course, mate. Can't let you stand under the mistletoe alone, now can I?"

 

Gavin giggled and continued on with the conversation. He sounded much happier speaking with this Dan person than with the others.

 

Michael slowly backed away from the guest bedroom then made his way back to the living room. His heart was pounding and his head swam with all kinds of images. Gavin wasn't /really/ with this Dan guy, right? It had to be a joke or something.

 

He was so deep in thought that he almost barreled into Jack.

 

"There you are." Jack said, stepping back a bit. "Where's Gavin?"

 

"In his room talking to someone named Dan." The name sounding bitter. "He overheard us talking and thinks we don't like him. That we're just messing with him."

 

"What?!" They all shouted.

 

"Gavin's great, why wouldn't we like him?" Geoff asked, his voice cracking twice as much as usual.

 

"Yeah," Ray chimed in. "We didn't mean anything by it."

 

"Well he doesn't know that yet. He's still getting use to how we act around each other."

 

Geoff groaned and rubbed his hand down face. He should have been more careful. He didn't mean what he said in a bad way, he was just frustrated that his mom didn't trust him. Gavin was a great guy, and he sometimes missed when he was the only one who knew about him.

 

"We've gotta do something. If we let him wallow in his room he'll think we hate him for real." Ryan said, ever the voice of reason.

 

Michael bit his lip as he surveyed the room. A small smile curved his lips after a moment of thought.

 

"I've got an idea. But we're gonna need some sheets."

 

~•~

 

Gavin was laying in bed reading a book when there was a knock on his door.

 

"Come in," he said glumly.

 

Geoff's head popped in and he was smiling slightly.

 

"Hey buddy, there's some pizza in the living room."

 

"I'm not hungry."

 

Geoff frowned and walked into the room, sitting next to Gavin on the bed.

 

"Gav... You know, I really like having you here. You're like the little brother I never had. Me and the guys may not think about what we say all the time, but just know that we don't mean anything by it. We all really like hanging out with you."

 

Gavin stared down at his lap, his book lay forgotten as he twiddled his thumbs. He wanted to believe Geoff, wanted to feel accepted into the easy-going group of friends.

 

"You mean it?"

 

Geoff grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Course, dude. Now come on, if we don't hurry Jack will inhale all the pizza."

 

They made their way to the living room and Gavin paused inside of the doorway when he took in the scene of the rather large room.

 

The couches had been pushed together and they were covered by sheets which were being propped up by brooms. The TV was half hidden by them as well.

 

"Presenting! Gavin's Fortress of Dreams!"

 

Jack, Ray, Michael and Ryan all crawled out through the opening of the 'fortress'. They all had towels tied around their necks like capes.

 

"What's all this then?" Gavin laughed.

 

"Were you not listening?" Michael scoffed. "It's your fortress of dreams, where we eat and play video games."

 

"And talk about boys." Ray added.

 

"That too."

 

Geoff handed him a green towel, having somehow put on a white one. Gavin smiled brightly and tucked it into the collar of his shirt, feeling silly and giddy all the while.

 

For the next few hours, they played videos games and watched stupid game shows while gorging themselves on pizza and cinnamon sticks. Gavin couldn't remember the last time he had this much fun.

 

Michael watched him (secretly, of course) with a fond smile. His plan had worked perfectly.

 

~•~

 

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey arrived home to a kitchen full of pizza boxes and soda cans. They went into the living room to lecture the boys about cleaning up but found it difficult when they peered through the opening of the makeshift tent.

 

All of the boys were asleep. Geoff lay sprawled across the couch, one arm and leg hanging off the side. Ray's head was propped up against the arm of the couch, a controller hanging limply in his hands. Jack's foot was inches away from Ryan's face, while Ryan's knee dug into his lower back.

 

Michael and Gavin lay in the middle of the carpet, seeming by far the most comfortable. Michael's arms wrapped around Gavin's waist, and his head rested on his chest. The Brit's legs were tangled with his, and a small smile curved his lips.

 

Mrs. Ramsey smiled softly and went to call the boys parents while Mr. Ramsey cleaned up the kitchen.

 

When they had gone, Michael opened one eye and peered up at Gavin's sleeping face. He could feel his cheeks heating up as he nestled closer to the Brit.

 

His plan had turned out better than he thought it would.


	5. Morning Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written by TheSheGavin.

Gavin was the first to wake.

 

His fortress of dreams was dilapidated on top of the sleeping forms of his friends, and he was surprised to find how.. Close Michael was. His face heated up to a beet red as he shimmied out of the boy's grasp.

 

After somewhat-successfully untangling himself, he slinked into his room, also known as the Ramsey's guest room. It was painted a grass green with a too-soft bed and too-firm pillows. He changed into a loose shirt and a pair of shorts before returning to the living room to find a drowsy and disoriented, slurring-from-sleep Michael.

 

"Gav, wha' time isit?"

 

Gavin chuckled softly before sitting down next to him on the floor.

 

"Early, but it's Saturday. You should sleep."

 

Michael grumbled irritatedly before yanking Gavin down beside him.

 

"You got up. S'not cool t'just leave."

 

Gavin blushed profusely as Michael slung his arms around him once again, his grip loose from drowsiness. A small snicker erupted from the Brit, and Michael peeked an eye open again.

 

"What's so funny?"

 

Gavin had a too-big smile plastered to his face, and Michael found it.. Attractive. He was surprised by the tan-haired boy's answer.

 

"I like it when your nice to me."

 

Michael huffed softly in his face out of amusement. "Is that so? You know I'm just teasing most of the time, right?"

 

"Yeah, I know."

 

They both of them shared a silent moment together, Michael with his eyes shut and Gavin blushing and snuggling closer.

 

Gavin glanced over his shoulder to check if everyone was still sleeping, and thankfully, they were all sound asleep. He heaved a sigh before attempting to slip out of Michael's embrace. But the grip only tightened.

 

"Micool.. I have to get up."

 

"For what?"

 

That made him pause. What was he afraid of, exactly? Hurting Ray's feelings? Being made fun of?

 

"I don't want the others knowing.." Gavin mumbled ashamedly. Michael bobbed his head in understanding before letting a sigh of his own slip past his lips. He flicked open his eyes before replying.

 

"Neither do I. I don't know /what/ they'll think." He motioned to the snoring guests. "That, and I think Ray has taken a liking to you."

 

The last part of his sentence held the faintest note of jealousy, which was enough for Gavin. The foreign boy pressed his lips briefly against the shorter boy's forehead that was hidden behind a small curtain of hair. Michael tensed, his limbs tightening before he forced himself to relax. 

They took him by surprise but it was a good surprise.

 

"I know."

 

With that, Gavin left Michael's warm arms for the kitchen. Michael huffed, but let him leave without another word, his mind running rampant. He liked Gavin, more than he'd like to admit, but a nagging tone in the back of his head spoke.

 

What about Lindsay?

 

He had liked Lindsay for awhile now, and he was planning on asking her to the movies; a generic date, but a date all the same; when Gavin fell into their lives. He was excited to meet the Brit, mostly for his skills that outlasted Ray's violent button-mashing, but also because he sounded interesting.

 

When he first saw Gavin, he wasn't surprised to find he was handsome, but he found his slight shyness to be quite attractive. And the way he played soccer..

 

Michael had an all-around crush on the British-Boy Blunder, not that he would willingly admit, but his feelings for Lindsay were still there, growling at him like a beaten bulldog. Lindsay was the acceptable choice. The one who he could be with and not be made fun of.

 

But he wanted to be the cause of the too-big smile on Gavin's face.

 

Gavin went to the kitchen with Dan in mind. He and Dan had been really close before he came down here. They used to spend so much time in his tiny garden and run little experiments. They had a small, growing channel on Youtube, called the Slow Mo Guys. Gavin laughed softly to himself as he mulled over their recent videos. They always chose the coolest things to shoot, whether it was water balloon fighting or exploding paint. He really liked Dan, and his comment about upcoming Christmas...

 

Gavin sighed heavily, hugging himself with a tight grip on his elbows. Michael had snaked his way under his skin. And Ray..

 

Gavin whimpered smally in frustration. His anxieties that had made him so ill before tickled the back of his throat and forced him to gag slightly. He was stuck between his companion, the interest, and the interested.

 

After toasting a piece of bread and calming his spasming gag-reflex, he nibbled silently before disappearing into his room. He jumped on his laptop and logged onto Youtube, watching the most recent Slow Mo episode that Dan did by himself. It was barely 10 seconds into the video before he dedicated the video to Gavin, smiling ear-to-ear.

 

Oh, if only he knew..


	6. "That's Not The Worst That's Happened To Me."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written by Sergeant Bun.

It was Friday on October 11th and the unnamed gang were sitting at their regular lunch table by the windows.

 

"So, explain to me what Tier Fifteen is." Gavin said, munching on a strawberry.

 

"No! You stay /away/ from Tier Fifteen." Michael growled, before they both burst out laughing.

 

Geoff opened his mouth to speak, but ended up staring in the direction of the cafeteria doors.

 

"Geoff? You okay?" Jack asked, waving his hand in front of his face. Ryan turned around to see what all the fuss was about and started chuckling to himself.

 

"Here comes Geoff's future wife."

 

Ray and Jack, who had their backs facing the front of the cafeteria, craned their necks around so they could see what had Geoff so speechless.

 

It was Griffon.

 

Not just her, of course. She was accompanied by Lindsay, but Griffon was the only one he had eyes for.

 

Gavin had actually met her a few times, seeing as she and Geoff were chemistry partners. Griffon was really smart and very nice. Whenever she came over, she always brought a little treat for Gavin. Sometimes it was candy, other times it was stuff to put on his keychain.

 

"Hi, Griffon!" He called out, smiling widely until Geoff elbowed him in the ribs.

 

"Now look what you did. She's coming over!" Geoff hissed in his ear. Michael tried to hide his laugh by taking a sip of water, but choked when Lindsay waved at him.

 

Ray sighed softly and put in his earbuds. Geoff and Michael were about to turn into class-A schmucks all because of a couple of a girls. He glanced at Gavin, who had a confused frown on his face. Michael wasn't sitting as close to him as he use to, and the Brit didn't understand why.

 

"Hey, Geoff." Griffon said once she and the Lindsay reached their table.

 

"Hi, Michael." Lindsay said, giving him a shy smile.

 

"H-hey.." The boys replied.

 

Jack busied himself with his iPad, pretending to show Ryan something. Ray turned up the volume on his iPod, staring out the window to avoid any unwanted conversation.

 

Poor Gavin, who was sitting in the middle of Michael and Geoff, had no choice but to participate in whatever was going on.

 

"So, are you guys excited for the dance in two weeks?" Griffon asked, fiddling with her bracelet. It was covered in artsy charms like paint brushes, charcoal, a pencil, even a canvas.

 

"Dance? What dance?" Gavin asked. Back in England, he and Dan never went to any of the school functions, choosing instead to stay at home and play Halo.

 

"The Halloween Costume Ball." Lindsay said, wrinkling her nose at the ridiculous name. "Everyone gets to dress up and the gym's gonna be decorated and it's suppose to be really cool."

 

Ryan snorted. "No thanks. Dances aren't really our thing."

 

"That's too bad. Me and Linds are on the planning committee, and we could really use some help."

 

Geoff shot him a dirty look before smiling brightly at the blonde.

 

"Ryan's just joking around. We'd love to help out. Right guys?"

 

Michael nodded, a small smile on his lips. Gavin felt his stomach drop a little when he saw that it was aimed at Lindsay.

 

"Beats going to math class. Ray?"

 

The Puerto Rican boy shrugged, indifferent to the whole situation. Jack and Ryan didn't say anything, their body language making it clear that they were against this. But they all knew that if the group decided on something, they would all do it.

 

Which made Gavin the decider.

 

"How bout it, buddy?" Geoff asked him, looking at him pleadingly. He seemed so excited at the thought of being able to spend time with Griffon. The Brit casted a glance around at the others.

 

Jack and Ryan clearly weren't up for this. Ray didn't give two shits either way, and Michael had forgotten he existed.

 

But Geoff was counting on him. What kind of friend/house mate would he be if he didn't act as a good wingman?

 

So he pushed aside his own insecurities and mixed feelings and faked a smile as best he could.

 

"Yeah. Sounds like fun."

 

Famous last words.

 

~•~

 

"You own us big time, Free. I'm talking cheat codes and hacks." Ryan grumbled as he and Gavin attempted to hang a banner.

 

It's been a week since Gavin sealed their fate as members on the planning committee, and Jack and Ryan were none too happy about it. Even Ray was started to get irritated.

 

For starters, Geoff and Michael were too busy tripping over their dick to even be remotely helpful. All of the girls' ideas (orange and black streamers, themed table cloths, fake blood covering the walls) were carried out by Jack, Gavin, Ray and Ryan.

 

"Ray doesn't seem to mind," Gavin said weakly, motioning to the shorter boy who was hanging up streamers nearby. Ryan shot him a dirty look before climbing down his ladder.

 

"Hey, Geoff! Get your head outta your ass dickhead!"

 

Geoff was looking over Griffon's designs for a giant decorative pumpkin and waved vaguely in Ryan's direction, "Michael, give em a hand, would ya?"

 

Michael and Lindsay were in the bleachers testing out the lighting system. He sighed heavily and got up, promising he'd be right back as he went to help Gavin.

 

"You two act like its so hard to hang a banner." He grumbled. "And where the hell is Jack? I swear if he's eating again I'll-"

 

Jack came stumbling through the doors, covered in glitter and crepe paper. Lindsay accidentally hit the wrong button and a harsh spotlight blinded both Gavin and Jack, causing the later boy to ram straight into the precariously placed ladder.

 

"GAVIN!" Michael screamed, racing toward him.

 

Gavin shrieked as he teetered on the ladder, trying desperately to cling on to it, before losing his grip and crashing to the hard gym floor.

 

All the boys came rushing toward the fallen Brit; a tidal wave of concerned and worried voices. Ray had gingerly lifted Gavin's head into his lap and was stroking his hair gently, coaxing him softly to open his eyes.

 

Michael hated how he couldn't get closer to Gavin. Hated how Ray had gotten to him first. Hated how detached he felt when Lindsay clutched at his arm, guilty tears welling in her eyes.

 

"We've gotta get him to the nurses office." Ryan said, bending down to pick him up. Ray practically /hissed/ at him, gathering the slightly taller boy in his arms and standing up with a bit of difficulty. Jack, the walking decoration, ran ahead of him to open the door.

 

"Let's call it day, guys." Geoff said, his face pale as he and the guys, and Griffon and Lindsay, followed behind Ray to the nurses office.

 

~•~

 

Gavin heard the voices before he saw who they belonged to.

 

Both of his hands were being held by two different people, and someone kept touching his hair; stroking it and moving it away from his eyes.

 

"This is all because of your stupid girlfriend, Michael."

 

"Do /not/ call her stupid! It was an accident. If anything blame Jackass, the walking disco ball-"

 

"Guys, stop it-"

 

"I was only trying to get art supplies for Geoff's slave driver-"

 

"Watch it, Pattillo. I'll-"

 

Gavin groaned loudly, taking his hands back and swatting at whoever was by his hair. He felt like he had gotten hit by a truck filled with bricks, and he didn't have to put up with this nonsense.

 

"If you lot are gonna fight, please leave. My head is /pounding/."

 

"Vav!" Ray sighed in relief, touching his shoulder lightly. "You're okay.."

 

"We were really worried about you.." Geoff said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

Gavin scoffed, wincing hard. He was only able to open his eyes a few seconds at a time, but at least he could still see.

 

"As if. You were too busy eye humping Griffon to help out."

 

Michael scrunched up his nose, his hands hanging limply in his lap now that he wasn't holding Gavin's.

 

"He's kind of right. You were pretty out of it."

 

"Don't think you're off the hook either, Jones." Gavin said, unconsciously squeezing Ray's hand for comfort, "You might as well have Lindsay's name tattooed on your eyes since she's all you can see."

 

"Oh, come on-"

 

"You called me Garret yesterday! I knew you liked her but I didn't know you would turn into a complete moron. I didn't even want to agree to this stupid planning committee."

 

"Then why did you say yes?" Jack asked, standing off to the side.

 

"Because I knew how much Geoff wanted to spend time with Griffon. I would've felt like rubbish if I ruined his chances of getting close to her."

 

Gavin seemed to deflate, sagging back against the pillows as he tried to calm his racing heart. Ray squeezed his hand again, offering him a tiny smile when he returned the gesture.

 

The room was silent as everyone took in Gavin's words.

 

Geoff felt like an absolute douchebag. Here was Gavin, a total stranger just a few months ago, helping him land the girl of his dreams. And how did he repay him? By ignoring him and almost landing him in a coma. His mom and dad were near hysterical when the nurse called home. He stared down at the floor, wishing that he could go back in time and do right by his friend.

 

Michael gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists. He glared down at Ray's hands which were still holding Gavin's. The Puerto Rican boy had laced their fingers together, and all he wanted to do was rip them apart.

 

He never meant to ignore Gavin, really he didn't. He was just so confused about his feelings for the Brit. He thought that if he spent time with Lindsay then things would go back to normal. Instead, shit ended up getting worse, and Gavin got hurt. Again.

 

Finally, Geoff couldn't handle the silence anymore.

 

"Listen, Gav. If you don't want to do this then we won't. I never should've put you on the spot like that. I-I'm really sorry, buddy."

 

Gavin smiled slightly, laughing internally at Geoff's wounded puppy dog look. It was probably the massive head injury, but he found it impossible to stay mad at the slightly awkward older boy.

 

Lindsay and Griffon came into the room then, looking apologetic and weary.

 

"Gavin I am so, so, so sorry! I'm a complete idiot and never should have tried to touch anything and I suck at electronics and-"

 

"Lindsay, Lindsay stop. I'm not mad."

 

The red headed girl stopped short, clutching at her messenger bag. "Y-you're not?"

 

"Not at all. It was an accident. Besides, that's not the worst that's happened to me."

 

Ryan frown slightly. "You keep saying that. What the hell /has/ happened to you?"

 

Gavin shrugged. "Eh, yanno."

 

No one did know, but most were afraid to ask. Michael sighed softly, feeling exhausted. It had been a long, tiring week of planning and organizing and decorating. He was sure that he had seen a few grey hairs this morning.

 

"If this is what happens behind the scenes, I can't imagine what a train-wreck the actual dance will be."

 

"It could still be fun. We could all dress up in something cool." Jack said, trying to lift everyone's spirits.

 

"The dance is next week," Ray reminded him. "How are we suppose to find dates before then?"

 

Griffon scoffed. "Screw dates, we'll all go together. Now, what should we go as?"

 

Gavin sat up slowly in bed, massaging his neck with his free hand. He blushed faintly as he realized that his fingers were still intertwined with Ray's.

 

"What about Adventure Time?"

 

"That's awesome! Hey, can I be Peppermint Butler? I look great in a tux." Ray said excitedly.

 

Jack snorted, picturing Ray as a round and sarcastic butler.

 

"What're you laughing about, Ice King?" Ryan shot at him. "I'm totally picturing Jack with a beard and a beer gut."

 

"I'd be Finn, obviously." Michael said proudly. "I've pretty much got the outfit anyway."

 

"I guess I could be Flame Princess. No wig for me!" Lindsay said, running a hand through her bright red hair.

 

"I've got a stupid dress I never wear, so I guess that makes me Fiona. Ramsey, you're Marshall Lee." Griffon added.

 

"Only if Ryan goes as Mr. Cupcake." Geoff chortled. Ryan laughed and nodded.

 

"What about you, Vav?" Ray asked, turning to the Brit who had been silent throughout the whole thing.

 

"Prince Gumball."

 

"Seriously?" Geoff asked. "Why him?"

 

Gavin smirked, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

 

"He's made of bubble gum right? That means he can blow himself."

 

Geoff laughed his cancer-curing laugh and Michael and Ray snickered.

 

"We could check out the costume shop downtown tomorrow. If Gavin feels up for it, I mean." Lindsay said, turning to the green eyed boy.

 

"Are you kidding? Of course I'm up for it! Ryan's going as a buff cupcake. How could anyone miss that?"

 

Laughter erupted from everyone and Gavin felt his spirits lift. He finally knew what it was like to be in a large, close knit group of friends who cared about him.

 

It was the best feeling in the world.


	7. Amends and Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written by TheSheGavin

~*~

 

Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey picked Gavin and Geoff up from the school as soon as it ended. They also gained two hitchhikers by the names of Michael and Ray, who wouldn't stop worrying about the bruised brit. Even after they'd gotten back to the house, they'd fuss over him.

 

"You need anything, Vav?"

 

"Feeling better, Gavin?"

 

The questions piled up, and finally he asked to be alone in his room. They grudgingly left before he jumped on Skype.

 

Dan wasn't happy to see Gavin so beat up.

 

"What's happened to you over there? You look absolutely horrid."

 

"It's not the first time, isn't it.. How's everything on your end?"

 

Dan sighed before shaking his head. "Not too well.. It's lonelier without you, mate."

 

A small smile tainted Gavin's lips. "I miss you too, Dan. And I've just taken a tumble today. It's not even close to the worst that's happened."

 

"Can we not bring it up, Gav? I'd rather not talk about.. About that."

 

He nodded knowingly. They both chose not to talk about the worst of situations.. They chose to hide their old injuries. The pair that were separated so many miles shared a scar that was just at the hip; Gavin's was on his left, Dan's on his right.

 

It was around 3 years ago when they had gotten in a car accident during winter break.

 

The car had spun off the road and crashed into a decaying oak tree. It toppled over, smashing the roof in and puncturing it's metal with larger branches, creating a crunching noise and the scream of bending metal. The pair had sunk down into their seats in fear, the roof just barely scraping the top of their heads. One of the branches had split the space between them, creating a shared gash on their sides. Their driver, a cousin of Dan's, gained a concussion but, thankfully, was alive.

 

But that was only one of the worst.

 

After a shared moment of silence between the pair, Dan pipes up. "Is everyone treating you alright?"

 

"Everyone is treating me just fine." A large smile appears, warm and familiar. "They treat me practically like family."

 

"Heh, but they'll never replace me, right Gav?"

 

"Right." Dan was irreplaceable. As a friend, at least.

 

"Alright. It's getting late over here.. Extremely late." He smiled tiredly. "Hopefully we'll be able to talk at a decent hour soon."

 

"We only have to wait until Christmas." The tired smile is reflected back. "Not that far off.. Only a couple months."

 

"Months are a long time." Dan's voice was surprisingly solemn.

 

"Think of it as a bunch of weeks then. How many is there?"

 

Dan began to count in his head, and on his fingers.

 

"About eight weeks."

 

"Seems shorter than two months, doesn't it?"

 

Dan opened his mouth to argue but shut it when he couldn't find his point to argue.

 

"Fine, fine.. Skype you tomorrow?"

 

"Of course." Gavin replied.

 

"Alright.. I'll see you Gavin."

 

"Dream easy, Dan." Their signature goodnight.

 

"Dream easy, Gav."

 

Gavin logged off of Skype and went to the door to find a red-faced Michael.

 

"What's wrong, Micool?"

 

The boy relaxed under the brunette's hazel gaze, those damned eyes of his soothed the anger that boiled and bubbled like lava underneath Michael's skin.

 

"Nothing.. It's nothing."

 

~*~

 

Michael and Ray were (unwillingly) banished from Gavin's room as per his request. They moved to the living room with guilty hearts. They knew they were both being a bit.. Smothering.

 

They both flopped on the couch; Ray was the first to speak.

 

"Why?"

 

"Why what?" Michael countered bitterly, staring ahead.

 

"You have Lindsay. Why do you need to try and get Gavin too?"

 

"I'm not tryi-"

 

"You're a fucking terrible liar."

 

Michael fell silent.

 

"I just want to know why, Michael.. Lindsay's your dream girl, remember?"

 

"I thought she was." Michael put an emphasis on thought, which shut Ray up very quickly.

 

"I don't want to like him.." There it was. The confession. "But I do."

 

Michael hated himself. He shouldn't like Gavin. He should like Lindsay.. Be normal.

 

But worst of all, he hated Ray for hearing his confession.

 

"He likes you."

 

Michael shrugged him off.

 

"Michael.. As much as I want him to like me," Confession number two. "he doesn't. When you aren't around, it's all Michael. It's always you."

 

Michael looked to Ray and saw the hurt shining behind those now closed off eyes.

 

"But you can have him. Because you two have.. Something. Something I wish I had with him."

 

A forced smile.

 

Michael looked away. He had to hide it. Had to hide that he felt awful.. Hide the urge to hit something in frustration.

 

"You have to promise me that we'll get you someone, Ray. Some really nice girl," Or boy, Michael added without having to mention it. "that you like.. And that'll like you back." Michael rubbed the back of his neck as he sat there without even looking to Ray. He gave him a friendly pat on the back and a warm smile despite his sadness. "I'd like that, Michael."

 

Michael hated Ray's sincereness about the issue. Why can't I be normal? He questioned and beat himself interiorly, but forced a return smile before standing. He needed to set things straight with Gavin.. But what he would tell him was a mystery. Michael was full of hot air and needed to vent.

 

When he reached the door, it opened before he could reach the handle. Gavin's questioning expression nearly caught him off balance.

 

"What's wrong, Micool?"

 

The way he said his name stopped him. He couldn't do it.. He couldn't lose Gavin as a friend..

 

Michael liked Gavin too much for his own liking.

 

"Nothing.. It's nothing."

 

The foreigner smiled widely like a child that earned a toy from the fair. Michael's anger fizzled out as easily as it had built.

 

~*~

 

The next week went by in a blur. Ray had to stay after school a couple of days for tutoring, creating some free time for Michael and Gavin (aside from Geoff's daily check on his injuries that were requested by Mrs. Ramsey).

 

They spent their time playing some odd-ball games after the laborious day at school, with Michael yelling at Gavin whenever he fucked up, Gavin giggling alongside him. Geoff would come in with some profanity along the lines of 'shut the fuck up.' Everything was pretty stellar for the gang.

 

The day of the dance was a pleasant one; the community of teens and faculty was abuzz with excitement all thanks to the principal, who was a holiday fanatic. They had Halloween themed lessons in class and corny jokes were cracked. Barbara, a friend of Lindsay's, was the highlight of said jokes. It was as if the blonde had a book of awful humor tucked away in her brain.

 

In gym, they played something like a carnival game. There were several groups of three that had clumped together, Michael, Gavin, and Ray being one of them. Stations had been set up with something like children's festival. There was bobbing for apples, hacky sac tosses, relay races and dizzy runs.

 

The trio decided to try the bobbing for apples first as the brit claimed he was good at it. But barely moments after he had dunked his head in the cool water, one of the dizzy racers had bumped into him, knocking him headfirst into the oversized buckets of apples. He spouted some nonsense along the lines of 'blup bollock!' Gavin seemed to be more accident prone then he said. He scrambled up with a squeal, his clothes soaked through.

 

"Oh, bugger my arse!"

 

Ray helped Gavin up before sending a glare to the dizzied boy, a senior named Joel, who was also his tutor.

 

"Hey, be more careful Heyman!" Ray's shout earned himself a smirk from the older male before an apology, which aroused a flustered shade of pink to fade into the Puerto Rican's cheeks. Michael lead Gavin into the locker room to help him dry off as best he could.

 

Gavin peeled off his clingy shirt before grabbing the shirt he was wearing before hand. He caught Michael staring a bit longer than usual, and a smile slipped onto his lips.

 

"Hey Micool?"

 

Michael corrected where his eyes were lingering.

 

"Yeah Gav?"

 

Gavin cocked his head to the side slightly with a small laugh.

 

"Why are you so shy?"

 

"I'm not shy!" Michael blurted at the Brit.

 

"Sure, Micool." Gavin giggled softly before draping his dripping shirt onto the sinks.

 

"I'm not." Michael assured his statement.

 

"Alright, I believe you."

 

"I can prove it."

 

Gavin took the challenge playfully, expecting it as some innocent game. "Prove it then."

 

Michael came up fast. He grabbed the taller boy and brought him closer, pressing his lips to the Brit's to silence any protest he may have.

 

Gavin didn't try to object.

 

They shared a brief moment before Michael pulled away, leaving Gavin pleasantly disoriented.

 

"Now, let's go back and have some fun, Gav."

 

"I.. Alright Micool."


	8. Two Kings And A Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written by Sergeant Bun. Also the end of Love In A Headset.

You look like walking cotton candy." Geoff snickered, eyeing Gavin's pink wig.

 

"That's the point, Ramsey." Griffon said, rolling her eyes. "You look great, Gav."

 

"Thanks, Griff." Gavin said, tugging on the cuffs of his pink suit jacket. It had taken Mrs. Ramsey forever to dye the white suit the perfect shade. His wig was itchy, and the black boots were a little too big, but he looked pretty convincing.

 

Griffon was stunning in her simple white dress, and the pink ribbon around her waist really brought out her curves. Her long blonde hair was in a low ponytail, and true to her character, she also wore black sneakers.

 

Geoff didn't even seem to be in costume. The red plaid shirt and blue jeans seemed like something he would wear any day. The only giveaway was his green tinted skin.

 

"Don't you three look wonderful." Mrs. Ramsey said as she snapped another picture.

 

Geoff groaned. "Mom. We've gotta go!"

 

Mr. Ramsey took the camera from his wife. "I think that's enough pictures for now, dear."

 

"Oh, alright. Have fun kids."

 

Gavin linked arms with Geoff and Griffon, a huge smile on his face.

 

"G Squad! Moooooove out!"

 

Geoff snorted. "It's gonna be a long night."

 

~•~

 

"Nice beard, grandpa." Ryan said with a smirk, eyeing Jack's white beard, blue robes and crown.

 

Ray barked a laugh, straightening his bow tie. "So says the giant cupcake. How the hell did you even fit in the door?"

 

Ryan scowled. "I didn't. I had to get in here before I put it on."

 

Lindsay giggled, her red hair up in a vertical bun, held in place by chopsticks. She smiled shyly as she gripped Michael's hand. Said teen was decked out in his Finn gear; fluffy hat, shorts and all.

 

"Where's Triple G?" Ray asked, searching the crowd of colorful students that blocked his view from the door.

 

Jack, who was taller, stood on his toes to try and locate them. A flash of pink caught his attention.

 

"I see Gavin. Geoff can't be too far behind."

 

The group weeded through the dancing bodies, Ryan knocking a few down in his haste. Finally, they were by the gym doors. One good look at Gavin had Ray and Michael collapsing in fits of laughter.

 

"What the fuck are you wearing?!" Michael wheezed.

 

"Dude, you look like Pepto Bismol!" Ray choked.

 

Gavin was in high spirits, adjusting his wig and brushing invisible lint from his jacket.

 

"I am Prince Gumball. Bow down bitches."

 

Lindsay and Griffon curtsied, each taking one of his arms.

 

"And a handsome prince at that." Lindsay said, grinning.

 

"I wonder if you taste as sweet as you look." Griffon said before kissing his cheek.

 

Gavin was led away to the dance floor by two giggling girls, blushing so brightly that it seemed as if he had painted his face pink.

 

The boys stood there, mouths agape like fish out of water. Geoff was the first to recover, his eyes still a bit dazed.

 

"What the hell just happened?"

 

~•~

 

After having a laugh with the girls Gavin slunk away to the snack table. He had never been very good at conversing with kids his own age. That's why being apart of Geoff's gang was so exciting, if a little bit scary.

 

His eyes flittered around the room, landing on various members of the Achievement Hunters. (It had been Jack's idea to call themselves that after a particularly rewarding game of Halo.)

 

Jack was talking to a pretty girl by the DJ station who was dressed as a Greek goddess. Gavin believed her name to be Caiti. Ray was arguing with his tutor, Joel, who was the Phantom of the Opera. The older boy was smirking and holding on to Ray's waist, swaying him back and forth despite the music's upbeat tempo. Ryan was being bounced around in a group of fairies, looking not too pleased. Geoff and Griffon stood a few feet away from Gavin, talking casually and holding hands.

 

The Brit searched for any sign of Michael and Lindsay, but couldn't find them. He picked up a pumpkin shaped cookie and tried not to look as lonely as he felt.

 

He hadn't forgotten about the kiss, not by a long shot. He knew it was suppose to be a joke, but a small (large) part of him felt giddy with the possibility that Michael thought of him as more than just a friend. Gavin couldn't remember exactly when he started thinking of the curly haired boy this way.

 

Probably around the same time Dan had confessed to having a crush on him.

 

That conversation had been painfully awkward. Gavin was forever grateful that Dan was such an understanding and caring guy. The two had chosen to remain friends, and Dan still had plans to visit for Christmas. There was still that little blip of unease whenever Gavin called him and vice versa, but it went away pretty quickly.

 

The upside to everything being out in the open was that Gavin finally had someone to confide in. Not that Dan was much help in the relationship department, but still, it was nice to be able to rant for a few minutes (hours) without being laughed at.

 

He loved Geoff and the guys, really he did. But no one would be able to replace Dan as his best friend.

 

~•~

 

Michael was confused.

 

Here he was, dancing with Lindsay, his dream girl, and all he could think about was how she wasn't Gavin.

 

Her hair, while very pretty, was too long and too red. Her brown eyes lacked the green tint that the Brit's had, and her laugh was too perfect. It didn't make him want to punch her or call her names.

 

But she was still nice and funny and it was normal to like her, so he didn't question it.

 

Once a slow song came on the couple retreated back to their table. Michael saw Griffon talking in hushed tones with Barbara, who was head of the dance committee. She was dressed as the Mad Hatter.

 

"This is fun, huh? I really liked how everything turned out." Lindsay said, smiling. Her smile was nice and even, revealing a cute dimple in her left cheek.

 

"Yeah. It's very... Orange."

 

Lindsay laughed a little, but soon they lapsed into an awkward silence.

 

Michael cleared his throat, realizing that his mouth was too dry.

 

"I'm gonna get us some punch."

 

"Okay," Lindsay said with a nod and another one of her perfect smiles.

 

Michael tried not to run away, relief washing over him as he made his way to the drinks table on the left side of the gym. Why it had been separated from the food was lost on him, but right now he wasn't complaining.

 

"Get it together, Jones," he mumbled. "You're gonna go back to the table and ask Lindsay to dance. She'll say yes, and things'll be normal."

 

Michael went back to their table, carrying two cups of punch, frowning curiously when Lindsay wasn't there. He looked out into the sea of goofily dressed students and saw a flash of bright red.

 

There she was, slow dancing with Caleb.

 

"The fuck is she dancing with him for?" Michael growled, nearly throwing the cups away in anger before he remembered they were full. Sure, things had been a little weird between them, but that didn't mean she could just leave him stranded without even saying anything.

 

They accidentally stepped on each others feet and laughed out loud, both sporting blushes.

 

"Fine. I see how it's gonna be.."

 

Michael looked around for a potential dance partner and his eyes immediately landed on Gavin standing by the snack table. It was hard to miss him, seeing as he was various shades of pink from head to toe. Michael smiled and made his way over to him.

 

"Hey, Gavin. Wanna dance?"

 

~•~

 

'How did I find myself in this situation?' Gavin thought to himself as he and Michael twirled around the dance floor.

 

One minute, he was debating whether to have a vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing, or a chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing. The next, his hands were on Michael's waist and the shorter boy's were around his neck.

 

Gavin, though afraid to admit it, was enjoying himself. Michael was actually a pretty good dancer. He insisted on leading, and Gavin had a hard time keeping up with all the fancy steps. Michael, taking pity on him, settled on swaying back and forth in the center of the crowd.

 

"What are we doing?" Gavin murmured.

 

"We're dancing," Michael answered, no longer angry about being left behind. He stopped being angry the second Gavin's long fingers gripped his waist.

 

Gavin hummed something in reply, pulling Michael a little closer. He rested his cheek on top of Michael's soft curls, and breathed in the sweet scent of... Strawberries?

 

"What are you laughing about?" Michael asked, looking up him with a puzzled expression.

Gavin shook his head with a snicker, "Nothing, my strawberry."

 

Michael blushed and pinched his arm. "Shut up."

 

Gavin smiled fondly, his eyes filled with warmth, adoration, and something else Michael was afraid to name.

 

They both leaned closer, Gavin lowering his head and Michael standing on his toes. Just as their lips were about to meet, the sound of feedback reverberated around the room.

 

Everyone covered their ears and looked toward the stage where a sheepish Barbara was holding a microphone away from her face. After getting a thumbs up from Griffon, who sat at the DJ booth with Geoff, she addressed the crowd.

 

"Hey guys! Is everybody having fun?"

She received applause and cheers as way of an answer. Barbara laughed.

 

"Awesome! Are you ready for the crowning of this year's Pumpkin King and Queen?"

 

The crowd cheered louder, but Michael and Gavin stared at each other in confusion.

 

"Pumpkin King and Queen? Since when was that a thing?" Michael asked.

 

Gavin shrugged, frowning up at the DJ booth. Why hadn't Griffon mentioned it before?

 

A drumroll started as a fairy princess handed Barbara an orange envelope. She tore it openly eagerly, her eyes widening in surprise when she read the names. She glanced at Griffon, nearly bursting with excitement.

 

"Well, this is a first." Barbara ceremoniously cleared her for dramatic effect. "This years Pumpkin Kings are Finn The Human and Prince Gumball!"

 

Michael blushed fire truck red while Gavin paled drastically. Their classmates pushed them toward the stage, cheering and yelling out congratulations and teasing comments.

 

Ray, Jack and Ryan found Geoff and Griffon by the punch bowl. They all watched as Barbara placed a crown on Michael's head, and an orange cape around his neck. Meanwhile, Kara, a senior who was also on the dance committee, place a tiara in Gavin's hair/wig, and gave him a bouquet of fake orange roses.

 

"This is priceless," Geoff said, snapping pictures on his phone while Jack filmed on his iPad.

 

"I think it's cute," Griffon said, giggling as Gavin gave Michael a shy smile.

 

"I really want those roses," muttered Ray.

 

"And now, it's time for the Kings to have their spotlight dance." Barbara smiled happily as Michael and Gavin shuffled awkwardly to the dance floor. Gavin set his roses down on a lone chair, which would disappear later on in the night.

 

Enchanted by Taylor Swift started playing and Michael grumbled under his breath. This time, his hands rested on Gavin's waist, while the Brit's arms twined around his shoulders. Gavin felt so self-conscious, but ignored it. Michael was there. He'd be fine.

 

"This is so embarrassing," the shorter boy whispered.

 

Gavin remained uncharacteristically quiet, his cheeks tinted pink and his eyes looking anywhere but at Michael.

 

"Dude, what's up with you?" Michael asked, frowning slightly.

 

Gavin let out a nervous laugh. "I.. I kinda like this."

 

Michael raised an eyebrow, tightening his grip on Gavin's waist when his cape got caught under his shoe.

 

"This? You mean wearing a tiara?"

 

"No. I mean this. Dancing with you."

 

"Oh."

 

They swayed back and forth under the spotlight, moving closer to each other as the song came to an end and everyone else stepped on to the dance floor. A bad techno song was playing now, but they couldn't be bothered to separate.

 

This was nice, Michael realized. Having Gavin so close, his arms around his neck. He felt... Happy.

 

Gavin glanced down at him and their eyes locked. The disco ball was angled just right, making the taller boy's eyes glitter.

 

It was really a lost cause after that.

 

Michael gently gripped the back of Gavin's neck and brought him down into a slow kiss. Gavin gasped quietly, hesitantly wrapping his arms fully around Michael's waist and bringing him even closer.

 

Michael pulled back, giving him a heart stopping smile.

 

"Yeah. I like it too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! Leave a comment about how you liked it (or disliked it) and drop me a Kudos so I can know if I should write more like this!

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a Kudos if you liked it! The feedback helps me tell what I should write more of and less of, along with your requests and prompts!


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